A new student council for the college

Feb. 15, 2016 – The fall 2015 semester brought a new academic year, and, for the college, a new student council. It was formed by a group in last year’s Leadership Institute, where students “put leadership into action in an open-ended project,” explained Student Council President Charles Aquilina. While brainstorming about a project, the group decided to meet with the dean to discuss ideas, and he suggested forming a college student council. During spring semester, the group developed the organization’s structure, wrote its constitution, and recruited members.

The council “strives to provide a collective, unified, and representative voice for the values and interests of the students, departments, and the organizations within the college,” said Vice President Kaylyn Duda. Its membership consists of a four-person executive board plus two representatives from each of the four departments.

So far the council, which meets twice a month, has met with the dean and department heads on multiple occasions to discuss issues of communication, engagement, and cooperation. The council’s goals include informing students about opportunities, promoting professional development, and providing solutions to relevant issues within the college. “I am excited to have a formal structure for communication with our students and to provide additional leadership opportunities for them,” said Dean Paul Winistorfer.